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Real Time
Location
Systems
Early RTLS adopters report
ent RTLS vendors they might consider.
(See Figure 1.)
Since 2005, several prominent indus-
try surveys have suggested that a signifi-
K
by Steve Van Wagenen, KLAS survey group was deploying some RTLS
las’ venture into the Figure 1: solution, it appears that less than 5 per-
monitoring and report-
ing of real-time location
Vendors Considered in the Selection Process cent of hospitals nationwide are utilizing
the technologies. There appears to be a
(n=58) The “Other” category includes Aionex, CenTrak, GE, InfoLogix, Mobile Aspects, PCTS, Philips,
systems (RTLS) began in direct correlation between provider size
Rauland-Borg, Red Prairie, Reliance, RF Technologies, SkyTran, Time Domain, Visible Assets, and Xmark.
response to inquiries from and adoption, with large acute care facil-
CIOs and IT directors look- ities (200 beds or more) adopting RTLS
AeroScout 45% more often. KLAS study results indicate
ing for clarity and a sense
of direction in this new and confusing InnerWireless (PanGo) 26% that RTLS purchases in the next one to
market segment. Some providers report Ekahau 21%
two years are expected by 30 percent to
that RTLS technologies save money, cre- 40 percent of respondents.
Radianse 12%
ate efficiency, and improve the quality of
care. However, many others are still con- Sonitor 10% WHAT’S THE ROI?
fused. Who are the vendors? What are McKesson 9% Today’s enterprise-wide RTLS offerings
organizations using RTLS solutions for? are an inch deep and a mile wide, and
GE (Agility) 7%
How are others prioritizing its value? Is many providers can’t quite put a finger
there an ROI? Versus 7% on the value of RTLS. Enterprise-wide
To begin answering these questions, Awarepoint 5% visibility is not just for assets, but can
KLAS interviewed 122 organizations Cisco
also be used for managing patient flow,
5%
known for being progressive in their use beds, rooms, staff, and other departmen-
Hill‐Rom 3%
of healthcare IT (HIT). Only 35 of those tal activities and workflows. One hospital
organizations are doing anything in the RadarFind 3% reported using RTLS to monitor and man-
way of real-time location, and even fewer WaveMark 3% age patient wait times; if a patient’s status
had deeply implemented a solution. In had not changed in a certain amount of
Other 26%
addition, the RTLS market features a time, an alert would be generated.
crowded vendor landscape without many 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% Nonetheless, it is not surprising to see
clear leaders, as providers listed 28 differ- success see page 4
Why have over 800 hospitals chosen Hill-Rom
GPS3FBM5JNF-PDBUJOH
t*NQSPWFEQBUJFOUFYQFSJFODF
and HCAHPS Scores
t(SFBUFSFóDJFODZ
at the point of care
t*OTJHIUGPS
continuous
improvement
RTLS
tags are less expensive because they require
no battery, resulting in lower variable costs
per piece of equipment.
RFID/IR * Combines radio frequency (RF) signals, which As with most technologies other than Wi-Fi, RFID/IR uses
market
can travel through walls, with the more proprietary reader networks that must be installed in the
precise infrared (IR) technology. Provides tracking area.
functionality to overcome the line-of-sight
concerns found in IR-only applications. RFID/
set for
IR does not interfere with wireless networks
or other Wi-Fi equipment.
Infrared 12% Infrared offers high, room-level precision Infrared detection relies on line of sight. A few vendors in this
growth
because infrared light does not extend study found ways to incorporate IR with RFID technology to try
beyond walls. Readers only detect tags within and get the best of both worlds.
a specific room, but with improved specificity.
ZigBee 6% ZigBee is an RFID platform with a higher level Plug-in sensors need to be secured to outlets to prevent theft,
But providers still of precision resulting from a mesh network of although new designs are able to detect connection with an
tags and readers that communicate with each outlet and send alerts when this connection has been lost or the
have many questions other. With more points of communication, sensor is moving. Providers need to have plug-in sensors that
accuracy is reportedly better than with RFID allow for continued use of existing electrical outlets in rooms and
By Chip Means, Web Editor and Wi-Fi. Some providers report an easy may need more outlets. Sensors would need to be plugged into
R
eal-time positioning and installation of the system with readers that auxiliary-powered outlets for continued use of the system during
location tracking should be as simply plug into existing electrical wall electrical outages.
high on healthcare providers’ outlets, minimizing up-front costs.
project lists as an electronic
medical record system.
Ultra- * Precision is reported to significantly improve The ultra-wideband systems are very costly, as a whole network
with ultra-wideband technology, taking must be installed in the facility. Few vendors offer ultra-
Yet the versatile technology, used pri- wideband accuracy from several feet down to a few wideband. No providers in this study mentioned that they were
marily for tagging and tracking physical inches. considering vendors offering ultra-wideband technology.
assets, is found only in one-third of U.S.
hospitals. Education and cost barriers Ultrasound 10% Ultrasound is based on transmitting high- Ultrasound systems are susceptible to some noise interference
frequency sound waves, rather than radio from high frequencies that could imitate locating tag
have inhibited adoption for RTLS in a frequencies. There is no electromagnetic transmissions.
year of tight budgets and heavy focus on interference that could impact the locating
incentive-worthy IT like EMRs. data, and the ultrasound system has no
An increase in adoption is likely to potential of interfering with other wireless
be spurred by trends such as enhanced systems or electronic equipment.
interoperability with enterprise IT systems
growth see page 6 * KLAS estimates market share at less than 1 percent.
4 real time location Systems A supplement to Healthcare IT News September 2009
S
onitor’s unique ultrasound RTLS technology (USID)
is specifically developed and designed for use in hospitals.
Ultrasound RTLS guarantees virtually fail-proof room
level location accuracy. Defined sub-room level location
zones can also be created to obtain bed level resolution or
Sonitor Technologies to create specific locations within rooms or corridors. Another bene-
fit is that USID eliminates any risks of electromagnetic interference Sonitor Technologies’ ultrasound IPS accurately locates patients,
877.477.9767 or staff, and equipment at the sub-room level.
with other patient care equipment.
727.466.4547
Personal insight into the healthcare industry’s need for improv- is ideal for multi-patient rooms, and also allows for fall-detection
website: ing operational visibility solutions led Ole B. Hovind, MD, M.P.H. to capabilities within the room.
www.sonitor.com establish Sonitor Technologies in 1997. A variety of Sonitor tags are available. These are specifically
A growing number of leading hospitals and RTLS solutions inte- designed for the hospital environment, for tracking of equipment,
grators have since chosen Sonitor over other RTLS technologies. Soni- patients, staff, charts etc. Tag buttons allow for additional messag-
tor has also replaced several other RTLS technologies at hospital sites, ing functionality.
where these have not been able to provide accurate location informa- The Sonitor RTLS receiver infrastructure leverages any exist-
tion. Sonitor’s proven USID technology enjoys an unsurpassed record ing local area network, either wired or wireless, for communica-
of customer satisfaction, and has received multiple awards. tion of RTLS signals to a central server. Due to the simple location
Sonitor’s USID technology is in daily use for a variety of hospital detection of the Sonitor system, only very small amounts of data
applications to help drive maximum ROI. From simple applications, are transmitted over the LAN, saving bandwidth for other impor-
such as equipment tracking to enable right sizing of equipment tant hospital tasks. Once the system is up, there is no need for
pools, to more complex workflow improvement applications, Soni- repeated calibrations to adjust for changes in signal interference
tor’s room and sub-room level location accuracy performance has as often required with other RTLS technologies.
proven particularly valuable in increasing patient throughput and Sonitor’s unique positioning technology is designed for easy inte-
safety, as well as staff satisfaction. gration with third party visualization and reporting software solu-
The newest generation of plug-and-play High Definition Receiv- tions, and among Sonitor’s integration partners one can find several
ers can establish several location zones inside the same room. This of the industry’s leaders in healthcare IT and workflow solutions. n
content for this story provided by the advertiser.
tial ROI for asset management consider- about detection. Detection is a function 81%
ing the common problems arising from of the positioning technology and the ven- 80%
Planned RTLS Use
poor equipment planning, inefficient uti- dor patented, software-based algorithms Current RTLS Use
lization, and misplaced or hoarded equip- loaded in a location engine. Ultrasound 70%
pumps. Some hospitals reported a 12–15 dors have developed temperature sensing
month ROI. Other user-documented tags. Others are developing a software tag mechanisms that can send alerts upon ers to take advantage of the strengths of
results include a 50 percent reduction in for enabling location detection for PDAs, the tag’s removal. Contamination con- multiple technologies.
lost equipment, a 20 percent reduction in laptops, and other smart devices that may cerns are being addressed by vendors who The bottom line? Your technology
bed turnover time, and up to a 70 percent have compromised functionality when a are offering semi-disposable patient tags choice should be driven by your needs
increase in OR utilization. physical tag is attached. for single patient use. Hybrid tags such as and situation. n
Vendors are developing their sys- an RFID/IR are interesting in that they
CHOICES, CHOICES tems and tags to respond to expanding combine the stronger radio frequency Steve Van Wagenen is a research director at
From tags to sensors to location hard- provider needs. Some manufacturers signals with more precise locationing KLAS and author of the KLAS Real-Time Location
ware to location engine to the positioning are offering tags with tamper-resistant possible with infrared, allowing provid- Systems (RTLS) Perception Study 2009.
September 2009 A Supplement to Healthcare IT News real time location systems 5
Radianse a “must-have”
Future-proofed RTLS platform delivers choices
for tracking precision, aims for the “must-have” list
T
he pioneer of real-time location for healthcare is
on an aggressive mission – to simplify the installation
of its platform RTLS to the point of making it to the
“must-have” list.
So far, Radianse has installed an RTLS in 75 U.S. hospi-
tals. Tens of thousands of assets are easier to find. Process improve-
ment studies have been completed and acted upon, increasing clini-
cal effectiveness. Hundreds of clinicians wear tags to better measure
and manage patient care. More than 600,000 patients have been ing application can be recovered. The company has the data to prove
safely tracked to improve their care experience. And millions of dol- it. Also, efficiency gains and cost-savings from Radianse real-time
lars have been saved. tracking are proving to be sustainable for the long-term. Created in
Some hospitals use Radianse to do it all – tracking anyone or any- 2003 at a major university hospital, the Radianse payback and sus-
thing that moves across the healthcare enterprise. Others need supe- tainability model lets hospitals see how they can actively reduce loss,
Steve Schiefen rior performance in one particular application area. Every Radianse increase utilization and improve care.
President/CEO customer can choose where to start and how far they want to go
using real-time location intelligence. Need to know that an infusion Faster, simpler and more affordable
pump or other clinical device is on a particular floor? Radianse has Going beyond the usual high expectations for room-level location
a basic tracking application to deliver. Looking for enterprise-wide precision, interference-free performance and ease-of use are hospi-
visibility into how your patients and providers move and interact? tals that rightly set the bar even higher: speed up and simplify the
Radianse can take you there. It’s a future-proof strategy that gener- infrastructure installation and lower the cost.
ally gets Radianse onto the “short list.” One solution is to connect Radianse receivers to a hospital’s exist-
ing 2.4GHz network, using Wi-Fi only to transmit data. Location is
Radianse
People, payback and potential always calculated using the company’s patented algorithms, active-
200 Brickstone Square Closing in to be a priority investment requires an assurance of pay- RFID and the 433MHz UHF band.
Suite 302 back. Interestingly, the more you ask of a Radianse RTLS, the faster But the giant step forward is coming soon – a significant integration
Andover, MA 01810 that payback comes. For example, in eight to 12 months, every bit capability that should position Radianse squarely on the healthcare IT
800.974.9302 invested into a whole hospital RTLS infrastructure and asset track- “must-have” list. Go to www.radianse.com/must-have. Right now. n
info@radianse.com content for this story provided by the advertiser.
Versus Technology
The bottom line is delivering better,
safer, more efficient patient care—but,
for Versus Technology, it’s a top priority.
V
ersus understands the value
of time and the need to do more
with less. For nearly 20 years,
the Versus RTLS solution has
allowed hundreds of healthcare
organizations to make the most of their time
and resources with effortless communication and
automation.
According to a study by the University of Versus automates manual data entry to greatly improve communication through the
Maryland, the location-based informa- location of people and equipment for in-the-moment process flow.
tion and enhanced communication afforded
to hospitals by an accurate real-time locating system (RTLS) Keeping the Bigger Picture in Sight
will result in $4 million in savings for the typical 500-bed hos- Initially, Versus’ clients may be interested in tracking assets or moni-
“With 26 direct and pital. Versus auto- toring temperatures and equipment utilization, but when they real-
mates manual time ize that Versus can also help them reduce patient wait times, alert
487 indirect healthcare t a ke r - uppers like them as to when the patient is ready to be seen or when lab results
customers, many “ m o v ing” a patient are back, or report on in-room patient alone time – that’s when their
in a bed manage- eyes light up and they delve deeper to uncover the possibilities.
enjoying 15 years ment sys t e m , d o c- Just what are these possibilities?
or more continuous u m e n t i n g n u r s e ■■ How about seeing more patients? Enhanced patient throughput
rounding, updating leads to:
operation of the Versus whiteboards, moni- • Shorter wait times for patients (happy patients).
system, Versus is the toring interac- • Fewer late nights filling out paperwork and more time with
tions with conta- family (happy staff ).
only AHA-endorsed gious patients, and • Enhanced revenue (positive bottom line).
t r a c k i n g m o b i l e ■■ How about knowing which patient is in which room, whether
IR-RFID provider.”
equipment, patients the nurse is with him and how long the bladder scanner has
Gary Gaisser and other staff. been in there?
Chief Executive Officer When patients or • Allows staff to be more professional when they can
staff need assistance, automatically locate their counterparts on a screen and wait
Versus sends an alert nearby, rather than interrupting patients and other staff as
Small, lightweight badges help identify
to the appropriate they search.
patients and speed the patient visit.
caregivers or secu- • Automate equipment billing.
rity staff, quickly and efficiently directing communication. ■■ How about automatic Infection Control and Hand Hygiene
The ability to instantly locate patients or resources with a Compliance alerts and reporting?
high degree of granularity, along with the automatic updates and • Identify H1N1 and MRSA patients and their interactions
communication alerts, are of tremendous value. With the Versus with others.
solution, our clients have: • Alert staff to “non-compliant” state if they attempt patient
■■ Eliminated clinic waiting rooms, positively impacting care, allowing them to take corrective action.
patient flow. • Record hand hygiene compliance events vs. interaction with
■■ Reduced phone calls by 75 percent to create quieter healing patients for process improvement.
environments. • Help protect patients from Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs).
■■ “Fixed” the Pyxis Medication Dispensing units (and eliminated
manual workarounds) so that the machines release meds Educating the Market, Educating Consumers
when patients arrive to the unit. Asset tracking is an important component of real-time locating;
■■ Effectively increased bed capacity by 25 percent without however, the real value of any RTLS is in its ability make patients and
Versus laying a single brick. staff safer and processes more efficient. This means that the Real-
Identified staff requiring prophylaxis after short, forgotten time Locating System must be accurate, reliable and fast enough to
2600 Miller Creek Road ■■
interactions with infectious patients. keep up with what you do with patients.
Traverse City, MI 49684
■■ Made it possible for nurses to walk ½ mile less during Versus is the only RTLS provider offering a complete RTLS package:
Toll free: 1-877-9VERSUS
their shifts. ■■ IR-RFID locating technology with guaranteed granularity,
E-mail: ■■ Reduced annual property loss from $1.5M to $40K. timeliness and reliability as is required for advanced locating
info@versustech.com ■■ Increased the number of patient care rooms by 150 percent and clinical automation.
website: without adding staff. ■■ A myriad of software for viewing locating information in real-
It’s because of results like these that the Versus IR-RFID locat- time (floor plans, list views, dashboards, etc.), custom milestone
www.versustech.com
ing system is exclusively endorsed by the American Hospital Asso- reporting, and rules-based event notification and automation.
ciation and has received praise from clients and integrators alike, ■■ Expert services (training, implementation, support) to ensure
including Microsoft’s Senior Director of Worldwide Health, Bill long-term success.
Crounse, MD, who noted Versus’ ability to improve processes and If you’re struggling to find ways to save in this wavering
increase efficiencies, and announced on his blog: “if you are not economy, Versus has a clear path to success. In fact, with over 500
planning for the use of this technology in your hospital or clinic, customers benefiting from the Versus RTLS (many for over 15
you are missing a huge opportunity to lower costs, increase revenues years!), the Versus solution is proven to deliver immediate – and
and deliver better, more satisfying care.” repeatable – benefits. n
content for this story provided by the advertiser.
8 real time location Systems A supplement to Healthcare IT News September 2009
Ekahau delivers!
Locate. Measure. Manage.
How? Ekahau. That’s how!
n Asset Tracking
n Patient Tracking
n Workflow Optimization
website: n Wireless Sensor Solutions
www.ekahau.com
E
kahau rtls is the industry’s only
Ekahau West Coast Wi-Fi based Real Time Location
12930 Saratoga Avenue System that operates over any standard
Suite B-8 enterprise Wi-Fi network without
Saratoga, CA 95070 the need to add proprietary sensors,
Tel: 1-866-4EKAHAU chokepoints or additional Wi-Fi radios. Ekahau
Fax: 1-866-435 2428 RTLS is able to pinpoint floor, room, sub room Antti has over 20 years of experience in high tech
sales-americas@ekahau.com and bed-level accuracy for asset, patient and staff
and IT industries in international sales and marketing
support@ekahau.com tracking without impacting the performance or
use of the Wi-Fi network. Our extensive line-up leadership and product management. Prior to Ekahau,
Ekahau East Coast of Wi-Fi tags, sensors and pagers enable you Antti worked at Vaisala Inc., Boston, as a General
1851 Alexander Bell Drive drive a bigger ROI from your RTLS investment.
Suite 300 Ekahau has over 200+ healthcare customers Manager of Vaisala’s Industrial Business Division for
Reston, VA 20191 worldwide ranging from small community North America. Prior to Vaisala Antti has worked
Tel: 1-866-4EKAHAU hospitals to large systems covering several
thousand beds across multiple states. n
in several management and leadership positions in
Fax: 1-703-860-2028
sales-americas@ekahau.com For more information please go to
companies such as Government Research Institute VTT,
Antti Korhonen
support@ekahau.com www.Ekahau.com or call us at 1-866-4-EKAHAU President and CEO Computer 2000, and Western Digital Corporation.
content for this story provided by the advertiser.